Let's Get Physical

You've made the decision to get back in shape. That goal could be intimidating, but there's help: Web sites that help you by evaluating your physical condition and providing diet and exercise programs.

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You've made the decision to get back in shape. That goal could be intimidating, but there's help: Web sites that help you by evaluating your physical condition and providing diet and exercise programs. Most of these sites offer fitness and diet logs; the better sites let you choose a goal and monitor your progress. The best sites present live, expert feedback. In the past, you could find plenty of free, advertising-supported fitness sites. But now most of them charge for their servicesgenerally around $20 to $35 a month.

How did these sites work for me, a slightly out-of-shape, 40-something freelance writer who spends most of his day sitting in front of a computer screen? First, some background: In college I played defensive tackle, weighing a reasonably muscular 220 pounds. That weight segued into an unmuscular 240 once I joined the workforce. I was not pleasedand I fought back with a vengeance. I took up triathlons and daily 2- to 3-hour workouts to get back in shape. I also followed rigorous carbo-oriented diets. Within nine months, my weight dropped to 200 pounds.

A few years later, life turned seriousa job with more responsibility, marriage, and children. Something had to give, or rather expand. That something was my waistline, along with my cholesterol level and blood pressure. Suddenly I was middle-aged and looking it. Personal training, at $80 an hour, conflicted with plans for my kids' college education, as did hiring a personal dietitian. In November 2000, I turned to the Web for help. I chose Asimba because it offered detailed fitness and exercise rules to follow, and it included precise logs that showed whether I was meeting my goals. The results are just starting to showa couple of pounds here, an inch or two there. And now I have high hopes of looking svelte by the summer. See you at the beach!

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